Silver jewelry is beautiful, long-lasting, and durable. Over time, it may lose some of its shine — but this is nothing that can't be dealt with through some gentle cleaning. It's important that you deal with silver jewelry carefully, as you could otherwise damage it. Let's take a look at the best techniques to use when cleaning silver jewelry.

Determining What Type of Silver Jewelry You Own

Your silver jewelry may say something like ".925" on it. This is a mark that depicts what type of silver it is. It determines how easy it will be to clean and how careful you need to be. • .999. Known as fine silver, this mark indicates that it's just about as pure silver as you can get. Pure silver jewelry is very delicate; you should be very gentle when cleaning. • .925. Known as sterling silver, this is the most common type of silver. While it can be scratched and dented (silver is still quite soft), it's more durable than fine silver. • Silver plated. If your silver jewelry doesn't have a mark, it may be silver plated. Silver plating is just as attractive as real silver, but you have to be careful because the plating can wear off and may need to be replaced.

If you have very old or antique jewelry, it may not be obvious what type of silver it is. You should check with a jeweler before cleaning it.

Cleaning Your Silver Jewelry

When you wear your silver jewelry, it often becomes buffed through use. But if you have it tucked away,
• Start with soaking your jewelry in warm, soapy water. Soak your jewelry for about ten minutes before you start cleaning. That will loosen dirt before you start cleaning.
• Gently brush your silver jewelry. You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean up any of the dirt around any gems or accents. Don't brush too hard, or you may damage the material.
• Thoroughly dry off your silver jewelry. Leaving water on your silver jewelry is ultimately going to lead to tarnishing. You need to thoroughly dry it in the air. Dry off your jewelry with a microfiber cloth or jewelry cloth, not paper towels; paper towels may scratch.

Protecting Your Silver Jewelry from Tarnish

All silver can tarnish over time. To prevent your silver jewelry from tarnishing, clean it regularly. Try not to subject it to things such as soap and lotions. You might want to remove your silver jewelry when you're bathing, for instance, or at least rinse it off gently. If your silver is stored for a long time, it will likely develop a tarnish, but this can always be cleaned and polished off.

Cleaning Silver Rings, Necklaces, and Earrings

Different types of jewelry may need to be cleaned in different ways:

• Rings: Rings usually don't need to be cleaned because they're so frequently worn. When cleaning rings, pay special attention to the dirt that may be around gems. Dirt can build up around gems and dull their shine.
• Necklaces: Necklaces are very delicate and can collect hair, which has to be removed individually using pairs of tweezers. When washing silver necklaces, use a microfiber cleaning cloth or silver cleaning cloth to gently wipe a few inches of strands at a time.
• Earrings: Frequently, the hooks of an earring will actually start to tarnish before the rest of the earring. You may want to clean them with rubbing alcohol at the same time, to make it safer for your skin.

Silver jewelry does best when it's worn frequently. But even if your jewelry appears very stained and scratched, a jeweler can help. If your jewelry appears to be beyond cleaning, consult Occasions Fine Jewelry for advice and practical tips.